`Allah doesn`t care if you are transgender`: the Indonesian school fighting a backlash
(The Guardian Indonesia)

Islamic boarding school for transgender people in Java is providing a safe haven amid a harsh crackdown on LGBT rightsWhen Shinta Ratri prays, like many devout Indonesian women she dons a mukena, a long flowing gown often embroidered with colourful and intricate designs. But she finds it hard to do so in most public mosques in this small city on the Indonesian island of Java. The reason, she says, is that she began life as a man.According to Shinta, transgender people in Indonesia find it hard to pray at ordinary mosques, where men and women are divided and they often elicit hostile reactions from other congregants. Related: The public flogging of two gay men and what it says about Indonesia`s future Related: LGBT campaigners welcome Church of England guidance for schools Continue reading...